is proud of its Wake Forest. He valiantly ing five New Yorkers, Frank cer in 1971, offered numer- and is opposed to this state attempted to play with McGuire's Tar Heels com- ous contradictory testimo- being turned into a 'farm his wrist in a cast in State's piled a perfect 32-0 mark, nies to NCAA officials. system' for Mr. Case or any NCAA match against Cani- capturing the NCAA title Nonetheless, the probation, other coach." sius. He scored 25 points that forever eluded Case. the most severe in NCAA Case feigned ignorance but underdog Canisius won UNC's success was the history at the time, stuck. It and replied that he had no 79-78 in four overtimes. least of Case's worries dur- kept Case's 1958-59 ACC intention of circumventing champions from competing Gary, Indiana high school regula- Indiana, in the NCAA. This club, tions. The incredulous Phil- native which featured 5'9" ball- lips responded: "When this Sammy handling wizard Lou Pucillo, letter is published in our Ranzino finished the season 22-4. It official bulletin, I am sure shoots captured Case's last Dixie against the reference to Mr. Case's Classic title, beating Cincin- Colgate in ignorance of the rules will December nati with , make both interesting and 1950 Dixie and Michigan State with its amusing reading for school Classic ail-American Johnny Green. officials and fans in the title game, It would be Case's last twenty- won 85-76 Hoosier state." win season. by State. In the early 1950s the During the 1950s the wily NCAA outlawed the tryout Case was known as the "Old NC State's system. However, it had been 1949 Southern Gray Fox." During the early good to Case, and he saw no Conference 1960s he simply seemed old, reason to change. In 1954 champions. as much of the competition the NCAA placed the Wolf- Vic Bubas of had passed him by. In addition pack on probation for the Gary, Indiana, to North Carolina's perennial is wearing 1954-55 season, primarily the net powers, Duke had become a for conducting tryouts. Some around his powerhouse. Vic Bubas, who of these tryouts had involved neck, and had remained at State as Case's star recruit, Ronnie Dick Dickey Case's right-hand man follow- Shavlik, a 6'8"scoring ma- of Alexandria ing his graduation, moved is seated chine from Denver, Colo- far right. down the road to Duke in May rado. Case had outrecruited 1959. The following spring Rupp for Shavlik's services, Bubas's Blue Devil team cap- and Case always suspected Case called it the "toughest ing the 1956-57 season, tured the ACC title, the first Rupp of turning him in. game I ever lost." however. In the fall of 1956 of many for that school. Far- Rupp consistently refused he loss to Canisius the NCAA hit State with a ther west in Winston-Salem, to play State, and by all ac- marked the conclu- massive four-year probation Wake Forest was preparing counts the two giants devel- sion of Case's first that prohibited all State for its best years, under the oped a genuine animosity decade at State. All teams, not just the basket- tutelage of colorful coach toward each other. Although in all it was a re- ball team, from partici- Horace "Bones" McKinney. the Wolfpack captured the markable ten years. pating in postseason play. In 1962 Wake Forest would 1955 ACC title, it was pro- THis teams compiled a Again Case's recruiting advance to the NCAA Final hibited from going to the 267-60 record and captured zeal had gotten the best of Four, along the way introduc- NCAA tournament. Runner- the Southern Conference him. The target this time ing guard Billy Packer to a up Duke went instead. or ACC title nine times, was prep phenom national audience. McGuire Case was nothing if not losing the tenth by one Jackie Moreland. The NCAA continued to recruit the resilient. Shavlik turned out . However, the Cani- determined that State had cream of New York's prep to be as good as advertised. sius loss also signaled a made a number of illegal crop to Chapel Hill. Faced State captured the 1956 ACC downturn for Case in offers to Moreland, includ- with this kind of competi- title and finished the regular Raleigh. The next season ing a seven-year scholarship tion, an outmanned State season ranked second in his Wolfpack limped to a (including medical school) team struggled to a shocking the country. Unfortunately, listless 15-11 mark. The for his girlfriend. Case pro- 11-15 mark in 1959-60. Shavlik broke his wrist in the plaudits instead went to tested his innocence and The final blow to the Case tournament finals against rival North Carolina. Start- Moreland, who died of can- empire came in the 1960-61

12 TRACES